Shutter construction and operator



July 21, 1 953 R. A, DAVIS 6 ,8 8

SHUTTER CONSTRUCTION AND OPERATOR Filed Sept. 19, 1950 2 Sheets-Sheet l Ray Davis I INVENTOR; BY .wns um y 2 3 R. A. DAVIS 2,645,828 CONSTRUCTIQN AND OPERATOR Filed Sept. 19, 1950 2 Sheets-Sheet. 2

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Patented July 21, 1953 SHUTTER CONSTRUCTION aNn QPEBATQR v n ltoiygdiiDavis, Leesburg,Fla. I Application September 19,1 1 950,j$erialNo;:185,$39

- 2: Ihe;-present invention .relates :to newtand useful improvements in shutters and louver operating I means therefor.

An important object of the invention is to provide a novel louver supporting arm construction to support a. group of louvers in front of e a supporting frame and connecting the outer ends of the arms to an operating bar to uniformly raise and lower the louvers from a closed overlapping position to an upwardly inclined open position.

Another object is to provide novel means for attaching the louvers or slats to the supporting arms.

A further object is to provide a simplified louver arm attaching construction for easily and quickly pivotally attaching the inner and outer ends of the arms to the supporting frame and to the operating bar.

A still further object is to provide a device of this character of simple and practical construction, which is strong and durable, efficient and reliable in operation, relatively inexpensive to manufacture, and otherwise well adapted for the purposes for which the same is intended.

Other objects and advantages reside in the details of construction and operation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming part hereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

Figure 1 is a fragmentary perspective view with parts shown in section;

Figure 2 is a vertical sectional view taken on a line 22 of Figure l;

Figure 3 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical sectional view;

Figure 4 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical sectional view showing the fastening prongs for the slats or louvers carried by the arms;

Figure 5 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view of a modified louver fastening construction;

Figure 6 is a rear elevational view;

Figure 7 is an enlarged rear elevational view of the louver operating mechanism; and

Figure 8 is an enlarged perspective view of a modified arm construction.

Referring now the the drawings in detail, wherein for the purpose of illustration I have disclosed a preferred embodiment of my invention, the numeral 5 designates a frame provided with studding 6 at regularly spaced apart intervals, and to the studding. as well as to the ends of the frame, are pivotally secured the inner ends 1 of arms 8 by pins or the like 9.

lplaim. (01. 20 62) The armsareconstructed of strap metal and --the inner -ends' Land outer ends 10 ,ofsarms 8 are inclined oppositely, the inner ends being inclined rearwardly and the outer ends inclined" forwardly and the outer ends are pivoted to a vertical operating bar II by pins or the like I2.

The outer edge of arms 8 areformed with at least two bendable double prongs 13a for penetrating a louver or slat l4 and may be clinched against the outer surface of the louver to hold the same horizontally on the arms as shown in Figure 5, or the prongs may be slightly shorter than the thickness of the slat and placed in shallow holes IS in the slat to spread the prongs by tapping the slat with a hammer, as shown in Figure 4. The arms and louvers are properly spaced in the frame to overlap the adjacent edges of the louvers when the same are closed inwardly against the frame, as shown in Figure 3.

Gear segments 15 are fixed to the inner, ends of the uppermost arms l6 connected by idler gears I! to pinions 18 secured to a horizontal shaft I9 journaled in the studding. A worm gearZO is also secured to shaft I9 driven by a worm 2| on a vertical shaft 22 journaled in a bracket 23 secured to one of the studding. A crank handle 24 is secured to the lower end of shaft 22 and provided with auniversal joint 25.

In the modified construction shown in Figure 8 a vertical metal strip 26 is secured to the studding with one edge of the strip projecting forwardly of the studding and formed with down- Wardly inclined slots 21 leading to circular openings 28 in the strip to form upstanding pins 29 at the front edge of the strip 26. The inner end 30 of strap metal arms 31 are formed with slots 32 for sliding the arms downwardly in slots 21 to enter the openings 28 for pivoting the arms on the strips.

The outer ends 33 of arms 3| are notched at its opposite side edges to form a narrow neck 34 with a cross bar 35 at its outer end to lock the arms in slots 36 of operating bars 31.

.Prongs 38 are bent upwardly from arms 3| to attach the louvers or slats 39 thereto.

The invention is designed primarily for use in the construction of so-called lath houses used to protect plants from frost and may be erected in sections to form the sides as well as the top of the house and the louvers opened to admit sunlight or closed when the plants need protection.

The device may also be used on porches and other purposes where protection from the weather is desired.

In view of the foregoing description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings it is believed that a clear understanding of the device will be quite apparent to those skilled in this art. A more detailed description is accordingly deemed unnecessary.

It is to be understood, however, that even though there is herein shown and described a preferred embodiment of the invention the same is susceptible to certain changes fully comprehended by the spirit of the invention as herein described and the scope of the appended claim.

Having described the invention, what is claimed as new is:

In a louver construction, a fixed vertical supporting strip having outwardly inclined entrance slots at one edge and openings at the lowerends of the slots to form upstanding pins at the edge of the strip, a plurality of louver supporting arms having openings adjacent their inner ends to receive said pins for vertical swinging movement of the arms, louver fastening prongs projecting up- 4 wardly from the arms, a neck at the outer end of each arm, and an operating bar having openings in which the necks of the arms are lockably and pivotally engaged.

ROY A. DAVIS.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 191,951 Fawcett June 12, 1877 208,692 Pohl Oct. 8, 1878 1,818,286 Vail Aug. 11, 1931 2,133,113 Pratt Oct. 11, 1938 2,207,605 Wolfe July 9, 1940 2,234,712 Swanfeldt Mar. 11, 1941 2,324,454 Huff July 13, 1943 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 101,544 Australia June 28, 1936 107,620 Australia June 2, 1939 

